Plastidial microarray

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plastidial microarray comprising a solid support which comprises a multiplicity of elemental sites, each elemental site comprising several copies of the same nucleic acid probe, said probe being single-stranded, comprising between 50 and 70 nucleotides and corresponding to a sense oligonucleotide in a chloroplastid gene of Arabidopsis thaliana or to an antisense oligonucleotide in a chloroplastid gene of Arabidopsis thaliana , the entire chloroplastid coding genome of Arabidopsis thaliana being represented on the microarray.

1 . A plastidial microarray comprising a solid support which comprises a multiplicity of elemental sites, each elemental site comprising several copies of the same nucleic acid probe, said probe being single-stranded, comprising between 50 and 70 nucleotides and corresponding to a sense oligonucleotide in a chloroplastid gene of  Arabidopsis thaliana  or to an antisense oligonucleotide in a chloroplastid gene of  Arabidopsis thaliana , the entire chloroplastid coding genome of  Arabidopsis thaliana  being represented on the microarray. 
     
     
         2 . The microarray as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the sequence corresponding to a sense oligonucleotide in a chloroplastid gene of  Arabidopsis thaliana  is chosen so as to be more than 50% identical with a nucleic sequence of at least one plant chosen from tomato, alfalfa, tobacco, rice, spinach, wheat and corn. 
     
     
         3 . The microarray as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , in which at least half the sequences corresponding to a sense oligonucleotide in a chloroplastid gene of  Arabidopsis thaliana  are chosen so as to be located less than 200 nucleotides from the initiating codon. 
     
     
         4 . The microarray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the nucleic acid probes are labeled, so as to allow detection of the hybridization. 
     
     
         5 . The microarray as claimed in  claim 4 , in which each elemental site of the support comprises several copies of a first nucleic acid probe and several copies of a second nucleic acid probe, which is an antisense of the first probe, the two probes being labeled differently. 
     
     
         6 . The microarray as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each elemental site comprises several copies of the same probe chosen from the following sequences:
 (a) an oligonucleotide according to any one of the sequences SEQ ID Nos:1 to 80,   (b) an antisense oligonucleotide of any one of the sequences SEQ ID Nos:1 to 80,   (c) an oligonucleotide having at least 70% identity with the oligonucleotide according to (a) or (b).   
     
     
         7 . A method for preparing the microarray as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , according to which:
 a) a solid support is provided, and 
 b) the probes are attached to the surface of the support. 
 
     
     
         8 . A detection method for the microarray as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  6 , comprising:
 a) bringing the target nucleic sample into contact with the microarray, so as to allow hybridization, and 
 b) detecting the hybridization. 
 
     
     
         9 . The use of the microarray as claimed in  claims 1  to  6 , for establishing a plast gene expression profile in plants. 
     
     
         10 . A set of probes for measuring plant plast gene expression, comprising at least two probes chosen from:
 (a) an oligonucleotide according to any one of the sequences SEQ ID Nos:1 to 80,   (b) an antisense oligonucleotide of any one of the sequences SEQ ID Nos:1 to 80,   (c) an oligonucleotide having at least 70% identity with the oligonucleotide according to (a) or (b).   
     
     
         11 . A kit comprising a microarray as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  6 . 
     
     
         12 . The kit as claimed in  claim 11 , also comprising the support, the solutions for the hybridization and the labeling and/or the protocols for isolating the RNAs suitable for the various plants.